West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-06-30
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
rlIG BROOKLYN DIVINE's SUN
DAY SERMON.
Subject: "IIow TO Save the Cities"

Elisha: Behold, Ipray t6ec, the situation OF
MiS CITY Is pleasant, rs 5ny Lori Sorth; but
tte ic9tcT iS n1ught, and the ground barren.
aud re- said: Bring me a netC cruise, and
Yut SAT- therein aud then brought 10 to hi,S
And he rent FORTH unto the spring Of the
waters, aud cast The sat in there and said:
Thus, said the Lord, hare healed these
tcdtcrS; there shall not be from thence any
more death or barren land. So tie trdteTs
lrere healed unto his ddg'-2 Kings H.,
1872
1t is difficult 10 estimate how much OF the
prosperity and heath OF a city are dependent
upon good water. Tho timo when, through
well-lald pipes and FROM safe reservoir an
abundance of water froln Croton, or Ridge
wood, or Schuylkill is brought into the city
is appropriately celebrated with Grafton and
pyrotcchnic display. Thank God every day
for clear bright, beautiful, sparkling water
as IT drops IN the shower, or tOSSes up in the
fount tin, or PUSHES out mt tn, hNdtuut
The City of jericho Notwithstanding all
its physical and commercial Advantages, was
lacking in this important element. There
was enough water, but IL was diseased, and
the people we've crying ouS 10y reason thereof.
Elisha the prophet, comes TO the rescue He
says: Get mo a new cruise: ill 10 with salt
and bring II 10 me- SO the cruise of salt was
brought to tho prophet, and sc him walk
ing out TO the general reservoir, aud 10! all
the impurities depart, througha supernatural
and divine influence, and the waters are
good and fresh and clear, AMI all the people
clap their hands and lit up their faces in the
gladness Water for Jcuicho-clear, bright,
beautiful, God given watcrl
AT different tunes | have pointed ont 10 you
the fountains of municipal corrupt on AMI
this morning propose TO show YOU what are
the means Tor the reCtiilcltiOn OF those foun-
tains. There are four or five kinds of salt
that have cleansing ten lcncy SO far as
God may help me, / shall bring a cruise of
salt 10 the work and empty il into the great
reservoir of ln.inicipJl crime, sin, and shame
ignorance and abomnatiun.
In tins work of cleansing our cities, have
first 10 remark that there is a work for the
broom and shovel that nothing else can do
There always has been an intimate connection
b5tweeu iniquity and dirt. The filthy parts
OF the great cities are ALWAYS the most inioui-
tous parts ihe CUTTERS and the pavements
of the Fourth Ward. New York, illustrate
AMI symbolic the character OF tho people in
the Fourth Ward
The fisU thing that ba man does when
he IS cCnN eIted Is thOrou. hiy to wash him
Sell. There were, this morning on tho wov
To the di,I,rcpt churches, thou ands of mon n
pronrg apparel who. before their conversion.
were mint an tholr Sabbath dress. When ON
the - bDath 1 see man un.cauly in his
ulSS. iny suspicious in regard 10 his moral
character ave aroused, aud they are aIyyavs
Wen iourded. 80 as TO allow no excuse .or
LACK OF ar!uticn, God has cleft the continents
with river nui lakes, and has sunk five great
oceans, a.'i ah the world ought 10 be clean
Away, tn \, with the dirt from our cities
not only bccAtIse the physical health needs an
abluuon, i'UO Lecausa all the great moral and
rehgious interests of the c.ti demand 10 as a
positive necessity. y lithy city always has
been and always VIII be a wicked CITY
Through the upturning OF the earth for
great Improvement our city could not be ex-
Pectei - be as clean as usual, but for the
lllIfnl able dirt of Brooklyn for tho last six
months there IS no excuse. 10 is not merely
amatter q. dust in the eyes aud mud for the
shoes, and Of stencil for the nostrils but of
morals tCr the soul.
Another corrective influence that we would
bring 70 bear upon the evils of great cities
Is u Christian printing press The news
papers of any place are the test Of its moral
ny. The newsboy who runs along the street
Win roll OF papers under his arm is a tre-
mendous force that cannot be turned aside
nor resisted, and at his every step the
city is elevated or degraded. This hun
cry, all-devcuring American mind must
nave something 10 read, and upon ed
itors and authors and book publishers and
parents and teachers rests the responsibility of
what they shall read Almost overy man
you lncet has book IN his hand or a news
paper IN ms pocket What hook is 10 Won
have I'm your handf WHAT newspaper is il
yon nave IN your pocket Ministers NAV
preach, refOInlers may pan, philanthrOpists
may ioI for the elevation Of the suffer
M ara the criminal, but until all
the 'nwsparers of the land and all
the booksellers Of the land set themselves
against "a iLiluitOus litcIatlre-untl then
w shalt be lighting against fearful odds
Every 'iine tho cy.iud rs of our great pub
hshns houses turn they make the earth
Quake. From them goes forth a thought like
an angel OF light 10 feed and bless the world
or IKE AN angel OF darsmCss to smite it with
corruption and sin aud shame ana death Nav
God by lis cmnIpotent Spirit purify and ale-
vate the American pruting-prsss!
20 on further and say taat must do
penq uIon the school FOR great deal of cor
rec,lug influence. A community can no more
afford 70 have ignorant men i'm It's midst than
u can au0rt TO have uu aged hyenas Ip-
nor nee Is the mother OF hydru-headed crime.